Suzuki Jimny

The Suzuki Jimny is one of the cheapest and smallest 4x4s money can buy and it has been around on UK roads for a long time now.

The Suzuki Jimny is one of the cheapest and smallest 4x4s money can buy and it has been around on UK roads for a long time now.

Remarkably it has hardly changed from when it was first launched in 1998 and is still listed as a current model in 2015 – some 17 years from when it first went on sale.

The secret lies in its simple appeal. Yes, it is a niche car but it is a niche the Jimny fills so well. It’s the cheapest route into owning a new and proper 4x4, and it’s a seriously capable off-road tool.

It comes with switchable four-wheel drive and a low ratio gearbox, plus a decent amount of road clearance. This is one car that can genuinely take on the rough stuff and get through.

While it may shine off road, it is on road where the Jimny struggles. Its 1.3-litre petrol engine struggles out on fast open roads and it’s noisy thanks to road and wind roar.